HOUSTON — Oct. 24, 2016 — Responding to the overwhelming interest received since its launch earlier this year, the National Institute for STEM Education (NISE) has named Dr. Judith L. Zimny to lead the national provider of competency-based STEM training and certification for educators.

NISE was conceived by practicing educators and is based on a strong foundation of research, professional development, curriculum design, and educational leadership. Through the self-paced, competency-based programs, participants can learn and apply the key domains of STEM teaching that are essential to creating effective classrooms that increase student achievement. NISE partners with the American College of Education to provide teachers who have completed the National Certificate for STEM Teaching (NCST) with quality and affordable graduate degrees in STEM education.

“We are seeing a trend across the country for teachers to provide evidence that their STEM teaching skills are aligned with the current research on effective pedagogical practice. Schools and districts are seeking ways to demonstrate that their STEM programs and practices are up to date and effective. NISE was established to address these concerns,” said Dr. Vernon Johnson, CEO of Accelerate Learning. “We are expanding our NISE team to meet the increased demand for our programs, and Dr. Judith Zimny will provide the overall leadership for our team.”

A lifelong educator, administrator, and education industry executive, Zimny began her career as a teacher and quickly moved into elementary and secondary school leadership positions in Dallas Independent School District. Her concurrent work as an adjunct professor at Texas A&M and Southern Methodist University facilitated her transition to higher education, where she served in a variety of executive positions at Higher Education Holdings, and later as chief program development officer at ASCD, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Zimny received her Master’s in Education Administration from the University of Missouri – St. Louis, and her Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas A&M University.

 About the National Institute for STEM Education

NISE supports excellence in STEM with online STEM certification programs for individual teachers, campuses, and districts. Through these self-paced, competency-based programs, participants learn and apply the three domains of STEM teaching and build an understanding of the pedagogy necessary to create effective STEM classrooms that increase student achievement. For more information, visit http://www.acceleratelearning.com/nise.

About Accelerate Learning
Founded at Rice University, Accelerate Learning has grown from a single product, STEMscopes, to a brand that now offers a variety of curriculum and professional development solutions that support early learning, Next Generation Science Standards, and state-aligned curriculum. For more information, visit http://acceleratelearning.com or call toll-free 800-531-0864.

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Media Contact:

 Javier Encinas

Vice President Marketing, Accelerate Learning

480-529-9449

[email protected]